billings



{No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

I'. C. BILLINGS 8a F. LOMBARD.

DROP HAMMER.

No. 545,188. Patented Aug. A27, 1895.

Inwewozgs:

Witnesses.'

{No Model.) y 3 Sheets-Sheet; 2,

P. G. BILLINGS 81; F. LOMBARD. A

DROP HAMMER.

No. 545,188. Patented Aug. 27,1895.

lg their ufttorizeg,

' (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheen a.

F. C. BILLINGS 8v I'. LOMBARD.

Patented Aug. 27, 1895.

Magma? UNTTnn STnTns PATENT Ormea.

FREDERIC OBILLINGS AND FRANK LOMBARD, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT,ASSIGNORS TO THE BILLINGS d: SPENCER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

DROP-HAMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,188, dated August2.7, 1895. Application filed February 15, 1895. Serial No. 538,544. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERIC C. BILLINGS and FRANK LOMBARD, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Hartford, in the county ot Hartford andState of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Drop-Hammers, of which the following is a specification. V

Thisinvention relates to drop-ham mers, the

ro object of the invention being, primarily, to

provide a simple and effective automaticallyoperable drop-hammer, havinghammer-actuating mechanism ot` a construction and organization adaptedfor imparting a return or lifting movement to the hammer or ram ofrelatively high velocity and Without liability of straining the workingparts of, or breaking,

the machine, and also to provide means in connection with said machinewhereby the zo hammer may be continuously or intermittently actuated, asmay be required. Another object of the invention is to provide, inconnection with a machine ot' the class specitied having suitablehammer-lifting rolls, roll-shifting mechanism in position and adapted tobe automatically operated by the hammer or ram of the machine,andadapted, in connection with said hammer or ram, for automaticallyshiftingthe hammer-lifting 3o rolls, the one relatively to the other, toeffect at a predetermined point in the ascending movement of the hammera relatively slow or gradual release of said rolls from thehammer-lifting bar or board, and also to et'- feet at a predeterminedpoint in the descending movement of the hammer a gradual but positiveengagement of said rolls with the hammer-lifting board; also to provide,in connection with said lifting-roll shifting mechqo anism, improvedadjusting means whereby the effective stroke of the hammer may beregulated as required for diderent kinds of work.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in connection with theroll-shifting mechanism, an automatically-operable holding or latchdevice in position and adapted [or automatically engaging a member ofand for holding the roll-shitting mechanism in its 5o normalroll-opening position, and in position and adapted to be actuated by thehamor rain elevated and held in elevated position by a pawl ortripping-lever carried by one of the side frames of the machine. Fig. 2is a side elevation of the drop-hammer, showing the main orautomatically-operable holding device for the rollshifting rod in itsoperative position and the auxiliary treadle-operated holding device forsaid shittingrod in its operative position. Fig. 3 is a side elevationof a portion ot the machine, showing the auxiliary holding device inoperative position relatively to the roll-shifting rod. Fig. 4 is afront elevation, on a relatively large scale, of a portion of thedrop-hammer, showing various Working parts thereof in two positions infull and dotted lines. Fig. 5 isa horizontal cross-section of thatportion of the drop-hammer illustrated in Fig. L and taken in dottedline a- Ct in said figure. Fig. G is a detail, in elevation, ot aportion of the eccentricactuating rod or shifting member, showing incross-section the speed-reducing device or controlling-actuator inconnection with Asaid member. Fig. 7 is a horizontal crosssectional viewof that part of the drop-hammer shown in Fig. it, said Fig. 7 beingtaken in dotted lineb b, Fig. 4, and clearly showing the constructionand organization ofthe main or automatically-operable holding device forthe roll-shitting mechanism, said figure showing the latch or detent inlocked engagement with the eccentric-actuating rod and in position to beshifted out of engagement with said rod by means of a hammer, which isshown in dotted lines in said figure. Fig. 8 is a similarcross-sectional View ot' a portion ot said parts, showing the latchthrown out of engagement with the eccentric-actuating rod by means ofthe hammer, which hammer in this instance ICO is supposed to be at theend, or approximately at the end, of its downward stroke. Fig. 9 is asectional side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. S, as seen from theright hand in said figure, the latch, however, being shown in theposition illustrated in Fig. 7; and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional viewofthe bed of the machine as taken in line c c, Fig. 1, but on a relativelylarge scale, and showing the construction and arrangement of the treadlemechanism for actuating the auxiliary holding device for theroll-shifting mechanism and alsothe click or pawl for holding the hammerin its normal elevated position.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

rlhe framework of our improved drop-hammer, which may, in a general way,be of any general or usual construction adapted for carrying theoperative parts, consists, in the form thereof herein shown, of theanvil or base portion 2, the two uprights or side frames 3 and 3',separately bolted to said base at opposite sides thereof, as mostclearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and having guides 4 and 4',respectively, at adjacent sides thereof, and a top frame or head 5,bolted to the upper ends of the uprights or side frames 3 and 3', whichhead may be of anysuitable construction and adapted for carryingtheliammer-lifting rolls and theiraccessories, as clearly shown in saidFigs. l and 2.

In the organization thereof herein shown the ham mer-lifting rolls,which are carried by the head 5 at the upper end of the machine, andwhich are designated by R and R', respectively, are shiftable, the onetoward and from the other, as in friction drop-hammers of ordinaryconstruction, one of said rolls, as R, being fixed to a shaft 6,journaled in bearings in the head 5 of the machine, whereas the otherroll, as R', is fixed to a shaft 6, revolubly carried in and at oppositeends thereof in a transversely-dividedor two-part eccentric, designatedin a general Way by E, which -eccentric is, in turn, journaled inbearings in the head 5, preferably in horizontal alignment with thebearings in which shaft 6 is journaled, each of said shafts 6 and 6being preferably provided at one end thereof with a driving-pulley S, bymeans of which pulleys said shafts, together with their respectivehammer-lifting rolls, may be independently rotated simultaneously inopposite directions, respectively, from any suitable source of power.(Not shown.)

As shown most clearly in Fig. 1, the two parts of the eccentric oreccentric-sleeve E in which the shaft 6 of the lifting-roll R isjournaled are provided at their inner ends (which inner ends preferablyabut, respectively, against opposite ends of the hub of the roll R) withoutwardly-projecting rockerarms 9 and 9', respectively, which arms arepreferably connected together at their free ends by a tie rod or bolt10.

The hammer or ram, which may, in a general way, be of any usual orsuitable construction, and which is designated, in a general Way, by H,is supported for vertical movement between the guides at and 4 of thetwo lside frames 3 and 3 and has the usual lifting-board L connectedwith the upper end thereof, which lifting-board extends between and isadapted to be engaged by the lifting-rolls R and R.

As a convenient means for actuating the eccentric E, in which the shaftof the shiftable roll R is journaled, so as to shift said rolltoward andfrom the adjacent roll R to engage and release the lifting-board L, wehave provided an eccentric-actuating rod S, (which rod constitutes ashifting member for the roll-shifting mechanism,) which rod is pivotallyconnected at the upper end thereof with the rocker-arms of the eccentricE, said rod being shown with a transverse sleeve 12 at the upper endthereof, which engages the tie-bolt 10, which connects the two parts ofthe eccentric together, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings.This eccentric-actuating rod is located at one side of the path ofmovement of the hammer H and is supported at or near the lower endthereof for sliding movement in parallelism with the path of movementwith the hammer in a bearing 13, formed in a bracket 14, which bracket,in this ininstance, is shown removably secured to the side frame 3 ofthe machine, as shown most clearly in Figs. 7, S, and 9 of the drawings.This eccentric-actuating rod is valso shown having a lock-notch 15 atone side near the lower -end thereof, as shown in Fig. 0, adapted to beentered by a detent or holding device automatically operable, designatedin a general way by D, which is adapted foruormally holding theeccentricactuating rod in an elevated or roll-opening position. Thisautomatically-operable detent or holding device D, in the form thereofherein shown, consists of a latch or locking-arm 16 in position andadapted for engaging in the lock-notch 15 in the eccentric-actuating rodwhen said rod is in its elevated or roll-opening position, and a spring,as 17, adapted for normally holding said locking-arm 16 in bearing`contact with said eccentric-actuating rod. ln the organization thereofherein shown the locking-arm 16 is pivoted at one end, as shown at 1S,between ears 15 and 15of the bracket 14, and is shown carrying a roller18 at the inner or free end thereof, which free end normally projectsinto the path of movement of the hammer H and is held in its engagingposition by the spring 17, which is seated in a recess 17', formed inthe bracket 14, and having the inner end thereof fixed to said bracketand having the outer end thereof secured to the locking-arm.

As a means for automatically operating the detent or holding device D torelease the same from engagement with the eccentric-aetuating rod S, thehammer I-I has at one side thereof a detent-actuating cam or cam-facetro 19 in position and adapted for engaging (during the downwardmovement of the hammer) the free end of the locking-arm 16 and forthrowing said locking-arm laterally in and out of engagement with saideccentric-actuating rod, which allows the eccentric-actuating rod todrop by its own gravity, thus partially rotating the eccentric E andthrowing the lifting-roll B' toward the lifting-roll R and into positiveengagement with the lifting-board L.

The automaticallybperable detent or holding device D will usually belocated near the extreme lower end of the path of movement of the hammerl-l or in position to be engaged by the hammer and thrown out ofengagement with the eccentric-actuating rod when the hammer haspractically completed its downward stroke, so that immediately upon thestriking ot a blow by the hammer the eccen tric-actuatin g rod will beshifted and will, through the medium of the eccentric, throw the rolls Rand R', which are continuously rotated,into positive lifting engagementwith the lifting-board and lift the hammer at a relatively high speed.

As a means for automatically lifting the eccentricactuating rod S at apredetermined point in the ascending movement of the hammer and with arelatively slow movement, as compared with the movement of the hamnier,to thereby shift the lifting-roll R away from the lifting-roll R and outfrom engagement with the liftingboard' with a gradual or a relativelyslow movement, we have provided in connection with saideccentric-actuating rod a speed-red ucing actuator, designated in ageneral way by P, and which, in the preferred form thereof herein shown,consists of a lever adjustably secured by means of a clamping device,designated in a general way by C, to the eccentric-actuating rod at apoint intermediate to the two ends thereof and having one endan arm, as2l-fulcrumed at 22 at one side ot said rod upon the frame of the machineand having the opposite end or arm, as 21, thereof projected inward intothe path of movement of an abutment or pin 23, carried by the hammer Il,by means of which abutment or pin 23 Ysaid lever is actuated during theascending movement of the hammer.

ln practice the short end 21 of the speedreducing lever or actuator Pwill, for convenience in assembling said actuator in operative` relationwith the eccentric-actuating rod, be bifurcated, as shown at 24, to formpin-engaging arms 25 and 25, which, as shown in Figs. It and 5 ot' thedrawings, are in movable engagement with a sleeve or collar 26 upon thefulcrum-pin 22 upon the side trarne 3 of the machine.

As a convenient means for adjustably securing the speed-reducingactuator or lever P to the eccentric-actuating rod S, said lever iscarried by one member of a frictional .clamping device C, which clampingdevice,

in the form thereof herein shown, consists of the two members at 28 and2S, transversely bored, as shown at 29 and 29', to receive theeccentric-actuating rod, which extends through both members andshiftably secured together and moved in opposite directions,relativelyto each other, by means of a nut 30, screwed upon one of saidmembers and bearing against the other of said members, as will bereadily understood by reference to Fi g. 6 ot' the drawings.

^ By reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings it will be seen that theeccentric actuating rod is carried. at a relatively short distance fromthe fulcrurn-point of the actuator andv at a relatively long distancefrom that point of the actuator where the lifting-force is applied, sothat the abutment or pin 23 upon the hammer comes in contact with thetree end of the lever or actuator during the relatively rapid ascendingmovement, and, as a result, the eective movement of theeccentric-actuating rod is relatively short, as compared with 'themovement of the hammer when in operative engagement with the actuator;or, in other words, the hammer H traverses a distance equal to the spacebetween the horizontal lines fand f (see Fig. Lt) while theeccentric-actuating rod traverses a distance equal to the space betweendotted lines g and g in said figure. Thus it will be seen that theeccentric-actuating rod S and hammer I-I will, in the organization ofspeedreducing mechanism herein shown and described, have comparativemovements of relatively varying velocities of a predetermined ratio, theratio in the present instance being substantiaily or approximately asone is to three, as will be understood by reference to said Fig. 4. y

As a means for ettecting an opening movement or lifting movement of theeccentricactuating rod at various points in the length of the upwardstroke of the hammer ll, so that said hammer may be raised to differentheights to increase or decrease the downward stroke of said hammer, asmay be required for different kinds of work, we have provided the frameof the machine with a series of ulcrnm pins or studs 22', which are seta suitable distance apart in vertical alignment and in parallelism with,but at one side of, the path of movement'ot' the eccentric-actuating rodand in position to be engaged, one or the other of them, as may bedesired, by the arm 2l ot the speed-reducin g actuator or lever P, saidactuator being, of course, 'adj usted upon the rod as required forengagement with said ful- Crum-pin.

As a means for automatically engaging and holding the hammer, whendesired, when the same is at the end of its upward stroke, we haveprovided a pawl or trip-lever T, which is removably pivoted to the sideframe of the machine at one side of the hammer H, and, have provided thehammer with a cam-tace stop-abutment 8l at one side thereof in posi- ICO4 tion and adapted to be engaged by theinner end of the trip-lever,which inner end of the trip-lever normally projects into the path ofmovement of said stop-abutment 31, and as a means for actuating saidtrip-lever to release the saine from engagement with said hammer theouter end of said trip-lever is connected, as shown at 3l', with aconnecting-rod 32, which in turn is connected at the lower end thereofwith a treadle 33, pivoted to the base 2 of the machine, as shown at 34,the upper end of said connecting-rod being preferably carried by aspring 35, secured to a bracket 36, fixed to the side frame near theupper end thereof, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. This side framehas a series of pivot-holes 37 at different pointsin the height thereofadapted for receiving the pin or pivot 38 of the trip-lever T to providefor the adjustment of said trip-lever to adapt the same to engage thehammer H at different points in the length of the upward stroke thereof,as may be required, the connecting-rod 32 also y having a series ofpivot-holes therein to provide for the connection of the trip-levertherewith when adjusted to the different positions along the side frame,as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. l and 4 of thedrawings.

In some cases it is desirable that the opening movement of theeccentric-actuating rod be controlled by a treadle, instead of havingthe same automatically controlled by the hammer, (this being the casewhen it is desired to intermittently operate said hammer.) For thispurpose We have provided an auxiliary or treadle-operated holding devicefor the eccentric-actuating rod, which holding device (designated in ageneral way by D) is in the nature of a lever pivotally carried upon astud 40, secured to the side frame of the machine at one side of andbelow the lower end of the eccentric-actuating rod when said rod is inits elevated position, as shown in Fig. 4, the opposite end of saidlever being connected by means of a connecting-rod 4l to the treadle 33,by means of which treadle said lever or holding device D is actuated toengage or release the eccentric-actuating rod S. This holding device Dis movably'carried upon the stud 40, so that the working end thereof maybe thrown out of the path of movement of the eccentric-actuating rod, asshown in Fig. 2, or may be thrown into opposite posi- -tions relativelyto said rod, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Vhen it is desired that the hammer shall have a continuous movement, theauxiliary holding device will be shifted into its inoperative position,as shown in Fig. 2, and the main automatically-operable holding deviceor detent D will be adjusted into operative position to control thelifting movement of said hammer, as will be understood by a comparisonof Figs. l, 4, 7, and S of the drawings; but when it is desired tointermittently actuate the hammer the auxiliary holding device will beshifted into operative position, as shown in Fig. 3, and the locking-arm16 of the holding device D will be thrown into the inoperative positionshown in Fig. 8, where it will be held in such position by means of apin extended into the pin-hole 16 in the bracket 14. The auxiliaryholding device may then be shifted into the dotted-line position shownin Fig. 4 or in position to hold the eccentric-actuating yrod in itsroll-opening position, or it may be shifted into the full-line positioninsaid figure or in position to allow said rod to drop to close therolls upon the lifting-board of the hammer, this shifting of theauxiliary holding device being effected by the depression and elevationof the treadle 33, as will be clearly apparent by reference to Figs.1,2, and 4 of the drawings.

Vhen it is desired to continuously reciprocate the hammer of the machineautomat- 'ica1ly, the treadle 33 will, of course, be depressed to shiftthe trip-lever 'l1 into inoperative position with relation to the hammerand to prevent said trip-lever from engaging said hammer at the end ofthe upward stroke thereof. In this case the automatically-operableholding device D will, upon each descent of the hammer, be actuated bysaid hammer to release the eccentric-actuating rod, which immediatelydrops and causes the rolls R and R to engage the lifting-board and raisethe hammer, which hammer, when it reaches a predetermined point in itsascending movement, lifts,through the medium of the speed-reducing leverP, the rod S with a relatively slow movement, causing the same to openthe lifting-rolls, which allows the hammer to drop, and these operationsare repeated until the trip-lever is thrown into position to engage thehammer, which is accom- `plished by releasing the treadle.

The operation of the machine when controlled bythe treadle-actuatedauxiliary holding device will be readily understood by ref` erence toFigs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings.

It will be observed in this connection that the holding device D and thetripping lever or pawl T for holding the hammer in its elevated positionare so co-operatively organized that when the treadle is released todepress the working end of the holding device D to effect the engagementof the lifting-rolls with the hammer lifting-board the trip-lever isthrown into operative position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, and inposition to engage the hammer at the completion of the upward strokethereof. This organization insures the holding of the hammer in anelevated position until the auxiliary holding device is thrown intoengagement with the eccentricactuating rod, and also prevents therelease of the hammer by the trip-lever T until the said auxiliarydevice is in position to prevent the descent of the eccentric-actuatingrod, thus permitting the operator to have full con- -trol over themovements of the hammer.

As a means for simultaneously actuating the anxilary holding device Dand the triplever T, which devices are located at opposite sides of themachine, as shown most clearly in Figs. l, 2, and 4: ot the drawings, wehave provided, in connection with said holding device D and trip-leverT, an improved treadle mechanism, which, in the form thereof hereinshown, consists of two oppositely-disposed U-shaped frames 33 and 38',the frame 33 constituting the treadle proper and the frame 33constituting a retracting device for said treadle. The treadle or frame33 straddles the front part of the base of the machine and has its sidearms pivoted at the extreme rear ends thereof, as shown at 3l, toopposite sides, respectively, of said base and near the rear edge ofsaid base, as clearly shown 'in Fig. lO of the drawings, whereas theframe 33', which is in the nature of a weighted lever, straddles therear side of said base and has its side arms fulcrumed at a pointapproximately midway of their length, as shown at 33, to opposite sidesof said base, and has the forward end of said arm in shitting engagementwith the side arms of the frame or treadle 33 and at pointsapproximately midway of the length of said arms, as clearly shown insaid Fig. IO. This frame 33 will preferably be made of wrought -iron andwill have the cross-bar thereof reinforced or made sufficiently heavy toconstitute a weight adapted for lifting the treadle 33, as illus tratedin Fig. 3 of the drawings.

In practice the base 2 of the machine will be providedwithstop-abntments at opposite sides thereof in position and adapted forlimiting the retractive movement of the leveractuated treadle 33.

Having thus described our invention, we claiml. In a drop-hammer of theclass specified, the combination with a frame; of areciprocatory-hammer; lifting-rolls, one of which is shiftable towardand from the other; an actu atingrod in` operative connection with saidshiftable roll, and adapted for shifting said roll toward and from theother roll; a speedreducing device comprising a lever connected to saidactuating-rod, and having one end thereof fulcrumed to the frame, andhaving its other end in the path of movement of the hammer, whereby itwill be operated by the hammer at a predetermined'point in the ascendingmovement of said hammer tolift the actuating-rod with a relatively-lowvelocity as compared with the velocity of said hammer; and meansco-operating with the hammer and adapted for controlling the closingmovement of the shittable roll, substantially as described.

2. In a drop-hammer of the class speciied, the combination with a frame;of a reciprocatory-hammer; lifting-rolls, one of which is shiftabletoward and from the other; an actuating-rod in operative connection withsaid shiftable roll, and adapted for shitting said roll toward and fromthe other roll; a speedl reducing device comprising a lever connected tosaid actuating-rod, and having one end thereof fulcrumed to the frame,and having its other end in the path of movement of the hammer, wherebyit will .be operated by the hammer at a predetermined point in theascending movement ot' said hammer to lit't the actuating-rod with arelatively-low velocity as compared with the velocity of said hammer;means cooperating with the hammer, and adapted for controlling theclosing movement of the shittable roll; a holding device in position andadapted for holding the actuating-rod in an elevated or roll-openposition; and means for actuating said holding device, substantially asdescribed,

3. In a drop-hammer of the class specied, the combination with a frame;of shiftable lifting-rolls, one of which is shiftable toward and fromthe other; a hammer; an actuatingrod for said rolls; and aspeed-reducing der vice comprising a lever adjustably connected to saidrod, and having one end thereof adjustably fulcrumed to the frame,whereby the height of movementot said hammer can be regulated, and theopposite end of said lever projecting into the path of movement of thehammer, whereby said actuating-rod and hammer have comparative movementsof relatively-varying velocities, substantially as described.

4. In adrop-hammer, the combination with a frame; of an actuatingroll-shifting rod; a reciprocatoryhammer; and a speed-reducing deviceconsisting of a lever having its inner end fulcrnmed to the frame andpivotally connected, intermediate of its ends to the rollshifting rodand adapted to litt said rod, and having its opposite end thereofprojected into the path of movement ofthe hammer, whereby at apredetermined point in the ascending movement of the hammer, acomparative movement is imparted to the shifting-rod at a relatively-lowvelocity, substantially as described.

5. In a drop-hammer ot the class specified, the combination with aframe; of a reciprocatory-hammer; liftingrolls; one of which isshiftable toward and from the other; an actuating-rod in operativeconnection with said shiftable-roll, and adapted for shitting said rolltoward and from the other roll 3 a speedredncing device comprising alever connected to said actuating-rod, and having one end thereoffulcrumed to the frame, and its other end in the path of movement of thehammer, whereby it will be operated by the hammer at a predeterminedpoint in the ascending movement of said hammer to lift the actuating-rodwith a relatively-low velocity as compared with the velocity of saidhammer; a holding device in position and adapted for holding theactuating-rod in an elevated or rollopen position; and means foractuating said holding device, substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth. Y

6. In a drop-ham mer of the class specied,

the combination with the side-frames, one of said side-frames having aseries of openings therein; of lifting-rolls, one of said rollsshiftable into and out from engagement with the other of said rolls; 'ahammer; an actuatingrod operatively connected with one of said rolls forshifting said roll; and aspeed-reducing device comprising a leverconnected to said actuating-rod, and having one end thereof adapted tobe fulcrumed in any one of said openings, and having its opposite endprojecting into the path ot` the hammer, whereby the actuating-rod andhammer co-operate and have comparative movements of relativelyvaryingvelocities, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a drop-hammer, the combination with a suitable framework carryinga reciprocatory-hammer, of two continuously rotatable hammer-liftingrolls, one of which is carried by an eccentric and is adapted formovement toward and from the other, an eccentric-actuating rod supportedfor longitudinal movement at one side of the path of movement of thehammer; a speed-reducing lever adjustably carried by theeccentric-actuating rod and having one end thereof fulcrumed upon theframework, and havingr the opposite end thereof projected into the pathof movement of the hammer or into the path of movement of an abutmentupon said hammer,and adapted to be operated by said hammer at a predetermined point in the ascending movement thereof, t0 impart longitudinalmovement to the actuating-rod and reduce the velocity of said rodrelatively to the velocity of the hammer, substantially as described,and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a drop-hammer, the combination with a frame; of hammer-liftingrolls, one of which is shiftable toward and from the other; a hammer; anactuating-rod for said shiftableroll; a speed-reducing deviceoperatively connected to said actuating-rod and operated by the hammer;and a holding device for holding said shiftable-roll in roll-openingposition comprising a bracket secured to the frame and having a recesstherein; a right-angled lever pivoted to said bracket and having itsbent, free end projecting into the path of the hammer; and a springsecured in the recess of the bracket, and .connected to saidangledlever, to hold the same in engagement with the actuating-rod,substantially as described.

9. In a drop-hammer of the class specified having a reciprocatory-hammeror ram, a pair of lifting rolls, one of which is shiftable toward andfrom the other, and an actuating-rod in connection with said roll, thecombination therewith, and with the frame of the machine, of aspeed-reducing lever in adjustableconnection with the actuating-rod, andhavinga relatively short longitudinally-slotted arm fulcrumed upon a pinfixed to the framework of the machine, and having a relatively long armprojected into the path of movement of the drop-hammer, and adapted tobe engaged and operated by said drop-hammer, to impart a relatively slowlifting movement to the actuating-rod at a predetermined point in theascending movement ofsaid hammer, substantially as described, and forthe purpose set forth.

l0. Inadrop-hammer,thc combination with the vertically reciprocatingroll-shifting rod and with the reciprocatory-hammer, of alspeed-reducing device consisting of a lever pivotally and adjustablyconnected intermediate to the ends thereof, to the roll-shifting rod,and having one end thereof movablyfulcrumed at one side of said rod, andhaving the opposite end thereof projected into the path of movement ofan actuating-abutment upon the hammer; whereby, at a predetermined pointin the ascending movement of the hammer, a comparative movement isimparted to the shifting-rod, at a relatively slow velocity,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

1l. In a drop-hammer, in combination, a pair of lifting-rolls shiftable,the one toward and from the other, an actuating-rod in connection withthe shifting-roll and adapted for longitudinal movement, to effect anopening or closing of said rolls; a speed-reducing leverpivotally-carried by said actuating-rod, having one end thereoffulcrumed at one side of said rod, and having the opposite end thereofprojected into the path of movement of the hammer and adapted to beactuated by said hammer; areciprocatory-hammerin position, and adaptedfor actuating said speed-reducing lever, at a predetermined point in theascend- Y ing movement of said hammer; and an auxiliary-holding deviceand a trip-lever, co-operating with each other and adapted, theholding-device for engaging and holding the actuating-rod in an elevatedposition, and the triplever for automatically-engaging and holding thehammer in its elevated position, and means in connection with, andadapted for, simultaneously actuating said auxiliary-holding device andtrip-lever, and to throw them into engaging or disengaging positions,respectively and alternately, substantially as described, and for thepurpose set fortlnV` F l2. In a drop-hammer, the combination with thevertically reciprocatory roll-actuating rod and with thevertically-reciprocatory hammer, in co-operative connection with saidroll-actuating rod, of an auxiliary-holding device in position andadapted to engage, and hold the actuating-rod in an elevated position; atriplever in position and adapted for normallyengaging and holding thehammer in an elevated position; and atreadle mechanism in connectionwith, and adapted for, simultaneously operating the auxiliary-holdingdevice and trip-lever, to simultaneously throw the auxiliary-holdingdevice into engagement with the actuating-rod, and to throw thetriplever out of engagement with the hammer, or vice Versa,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

13. In a drop-hammer, the combination with IOO ing their outer ends insliding engagement with the side arms of the treadle, and adapted fornormally-elevating said treadle, Substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

FREDERIC C. BILLINGS. FRANK LOMBARD. Witnesses:

F. N. CHASE, WARREN J. BELCHER.

